rod selection help please

[Micropterus salmoides]

Hello to all. Been a minute...working hard and fishing little. Hope everyone has been well.
Anyways since I've been working so hard I've decided to treat myself to a new rod. I'm just having a lil trouble making a decision as to which one I want. If anyone has any helpful info. (likes dislikes) on any of the following rods it'd be helpful. This will be the first time I've ever ordered a pole without giving the 'ol arm test beforehand. The main things I'm looking for is a 10' rod that is very light and has a bottom seat.
The ones I've narrowed it down to are:

1)Buck's Best Ultralite with Bottom Seat & touch system
-drawbacks that I can see is the EVA foam handle and the fact that it seems way too long. And what the heck is a touch system?!?

2)Buck's Custom Crappie Rod
-dunno about it's weight or the sensitivity but that Portuguese cork sure looks comfortable...little long though?

3)Grizzly Elite Jig/Fly Rod
-I really like that it looks like the cork handle is so short and coupled so closely to the reel, but unsure of the sensitivity also. Plus it's 6" shorter than what I"m used to (9'6"). Louis Mansfield looks to be having a ball with it on the Grizzly Jig catalog cover though!

Any other bottom seated, really light 10' suggestions are welcomed also.
Thanks for looking and/or providing any feedback!

Adam

[Fishtaco]

The length on the handle is to allow you to find a good balance when jigging with the rod. The bottom seat helps.

The touch system is just a fancy way of saying they have cut away part of the handle where a thumb or index finger can contact the rod blank where it runs through the handle.

I have looked at the first two and I like them both. I think the second would be my choice.

Hope that helps.

[Jignjim]

I've got four BnM poles that I really like, but since I got the Bucks Custom 10 footer I have almost quit using the others. It's one of the best crappie rods that I have ever owned. It has a lot more backbone than I originally thought it would. When I need another rod, I will have another one.

[Darryl Morris]

All the rods you listed are really good ones. The touch system is a divet in the foam handle that exposes the graphite rod stock. You can "touch" that and increase your feel for the light bite.

I don't use a bottom seat but rather the regular UltraLites and have great success with them. I have had the new UL's with the bottom seat in hand and they are just as light and versatile. I really don't think you will be disappointed. Again, all the ones you listed are good pole-in-hand jig poles. Find the one that fits your hand and your arm length, balance it with the right reel and you'll increase your catch rate by detecting the light bite.

[halfmoonboy181]

The grizzly elite by far. It is actually designed to be used with a martin automatic reel. Now I dont know if youve ever held one of those reels but they are heavy. But somehow that pole has perfect balance with that reel attached. I use just a cheap fly reel and all is good. It has a great backbone that is not too stiff. If I had to rate the sensitivty of the tip from 0 to 10 with 10 being the most sensitive, I'd say a 6. You can feel the lightest nips but its not real floppy like other poles are. Just my 2 cents.

[BigKyd]

Hello to all. Been a minute...working hard and fishing little. Hope everyone has been well.
Anyways since I've been working so hard I've decided to treat myself to a new rod. I'm just having a lil trouble making a decision as to which one I want. If anyone has any helpful info. (likes dislikes) on any of the following rods it'd be helpful. This will be the first time I've ever ordered a pole without giving the 'ol arm test beforehand. The main things I'm looking for is a 10' rod that is very light and has a bottom seat.
The ones I've narrowed it down to are:

1)Buck's Best Ultralite with Bottom Seat & touch system
-drawbacks that I can see is the EVA foam handle and the fact that it seems way too long. And what the heck is a touch system?!?

2)Buck's Custom Crappie Rod
-dunno about it's weight or the sensitivity but that Portuguese cork sure looks comfortable...little long though?

3)Grizzly Elite Jig/Fly Rod
-I really like that it looks like the cork handle is so short and coupled so closely to the reel, but unsure of the sensitivity also. Plus it's 6" shorter than what I"m used to (9'6"). Louis Mansfield looks to be having a ball with it on the Grizzly Jig catalog cover though!

Any other bottom seated, really light 10' suggestions are welcomed also.
Thanks for looking and/or providing any feedback!

Adam

I have the bbul in the 12 foot model and I love it. I was going to get the custom but I was impatient and found a place nearby that had the bbul in stock but not the custom and I did not want to order and wait for delivery.

[Micropterus salmoides]

thanks everyone...very much appreciated

Adam